Cyprus is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean, making it the third largest and third most populous island in the Mediterranean Sea. Its capital is Nicosia. The country has a mountainous landscape, fertile valleys, and coastal plains, and its population is estimated at about 1.35 million as of 2025.

Cyprus has a long and diverse history, having been settled for more than 10,000 years and influenced by many empires, including the Greeks, Romans, Ottomans, and British. In 1974, the island was divided following a Turkish invasion of the north, leading to the present split between the Republic of Cyprus in the south and the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in the north, recognized only by Turkey.

The official languages are Greek and Turkish, and the majority of the population is Greek Cypriot, with a sizeable Turkish Cypriot minority. Cyprus has a free-enterprise economy based on trade, manufacturing, and merchant shipping, and is known for its beautiful beaches and tourist industry.